Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 17/ Trend , K. Zarbaliyeva/ As many as 381 foreign citizens were deported from Azerbaijan in 2008. Vugar Zeynalov, chief of Department for Registration of Foreigners of the Central Passport, Registration and Migration Office at the Interior Ministry of Azerbaijan told press conference on results of activities of State Migration Service (SMS) for six months of 2008. He added that the Ministry detained 935 foreigners in 2008. About 467 of them have been fined and they were issued warning. The documents of 144 of them were checked and set free.
Arzu Rahimov, chief of the State Migration Service, said changes and supplements to migration legislation on July 23, 2008 helped address problems in this field and added that the Service has reinforced its work since then. The Service is cooperating with Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and Russia in order to study their experience in migration field.
Rahimov said 7,000 foreigners and person without citizenship appealed SMS. These appeal were examined and relevant decisions were adopted. He said premises for migrants are under construction in Baku and Yevlakh. Migrants to be deported from the country and those awaiting refugee status will stay there.
SMS was founded in March 19, 2007 to ensure control over migration process. The Service deals with extending term of permanent residence in Azerbaijan, giving them temporary and permanent permission, granting refugee status and matters related to citizenship.
December 18 is International Migrant Day.
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